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The science behind anti-aging products

Wine, days off, your ability to laugh at yourself—these things get better with age. Your skin does not. Nobody wants to look (or feel) old, but a lot of guys are hesitant to jump on the anti-aging bandwagon for the simple fact that it feels a little, well, self-indulgent.

Need some encouragement to take the leap? Go ask a random teenager how old you look and holler back at us. Or just take our advice when it comes to learning common causes of and best ways to prevent the wrinkles and sagging skin that belie the vigor and gusto that keep you from feeling old. After all, there’s no Silver Fox equivalent for wrinkles and sagging skin.

As you grow older, your body produces lower amounts of collagen and elastin, resulting in thinner skin that causes it to sag and results in fine lines and wrinkles. Then there’s sunlight—the number one cause of wrinkles and permanent damage to skin. Indeed, we all need Vitamin D, but it’s important to remember that, after a mere 20 minutes under the sun’s rays (without sunscreen), the benefits of Vitamin D absorption have been effectively offset by the UV damage you’ve endured. But using SPF-enhanced products alone can only hope to prevent or mitigate skin damage caused by UVA and UVB exposure.

To effectively counteract that damage and to help prevent future problems, introduce products with targeted anti-aging formulas like our ProSeries line into your daily routine. What exactly are these formulas made of, and how exactly do they work? Glad you asked:

Peptides are chains of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that make life possible. As far as aging goes, peptides function as messengers in the skin between the epidermis and the dermis, allowing more efficient communication between the two. As we age this communication diminishes, which can cause fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity. Peptides help keep that from happening.

Exfoliants (both physical and chemical) such as Glycolic Acid do the kind of down -and-dirty work that’s so often overlooked, sloughing off dead skin cells and spurring the regeneration of healthy skin. Exfoliants are to skincare what sanders are to spackle on drywall. Allow exfoliants to clear clogged pores, and you’re left with softer, smoother, healthier-, and younger-looking skin as a result.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are something you’ve probably heard of but maybe not in a skincare context. That should change. EFAs are instrumental in regulating how cell membranes remove toxins and retain moisture and vital nutrients. Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, and other natural sources of EFAs boost barrier function and repair and enhance cell signaling. The result? Skin with improved softness and elasticity that retains moisture better.

Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate are way easier to explain than they are to pronounce. Hyaluronic Acid is a naturally occurring humectant (moisture-binding ingredient) that’s capable of shouldering up to 1000 times its weight in water, Hyaluronic Acid enhances skin’s plumpness and firmness and improves moisturization. Brass tacks: firmer, better-hydrated skin prevents the formation of new fine lines and wrinkles and diminishes the appearance of existing ones.

Say you hate looking tired. Say you want to age better than Pops. Hell, be bold and say you just like taking care of yourself. You can say you use anti-aging products for whatever reason you want. So long as you use them.